Athabasca town council told Alberta Energy Corridor representatives last Tuesday that in order for council to commit to $30,000 each year for three years, they would have to see some numbers.
At their meeting last Tuesday, council deferred the decision on approving the AEC’s funding request until they receive last year’s budget and a forecast for the upcoming years on where Athabasca tax dollars are being spent.
“I am not going to support it until we get that kind of documentation,” councillor Paula Evans said. “I’m sorry.”
The AEC is a government/industry funded agency with the mission of stimulating economic development in the Athabasca, Boyle and Wandering River area.
Councillor Colleen Powell asked what businesses, other than Portage College in Boyle, had moved to the AEC area.
AEC executive director Angela Betts responded, “We are certainly still that marketing organization of bringing large industry in.”
Unsatisfied, Powell repeated her question. “The question is, what has come in other than Portage College?”
Cal Gayowski, an associate member of AEC, jumped in.
“There have been some smaller businesses,” he said. He went on to explain that it is unrealistic to assume larger businesses will want to relocate to the area. “There are no people left to employ in Alberta.”
Councillor Tim Verhaeghe asked about the money they were requesting.
“When we first embarked on this, I think the town committed for three years,” he said. “At that point, it was my understanding that … the AEC should be self-sustaining and we could pull back a bit.”
Gayowski said that municipalities would always benefit from contributing to the AEC.
“At one point in time I think it was said (the AEC) wanted to become self-sufficient and we would pull away from all municipal monies, but then we discussed that,” he explained. “At the end of the day, really if we can convince the municipalities and more businesses to operate in the county, in Wandering River, Grassland, Athabasca, eventually those tax monies and dollars will really benefit the municipalities.”
Verhaeghe asked, “Is the AEC’s goal that it becomes self-sustaining? Where are we at with that?”
Betts explained, “I think I can probably tell you that the AEC in its current and future development will always request municipal involvement. Whether that is actual funding in the end, we are lobbying and possibly have in the works for provincial funding.”
When council asked Betts if Athabasca County and the Village of Boyle were supporting the AEC for another three years, Betts said yes.
“We currently have the County and the Village of Boyle on board, as well as all our current board members, and three new industry partners,” she said. “All the municipal contributions remain the same as in years past.”
Betts’ proposed funding was discussed at the Village of Boyle meeting the day after she presented to the town, and the county has not approved their final budget.
Betts said the county was good for $60,000 each year for three years, and the village was putting up $20,000 each year for three years.
At the village council meeting, the village councillors decided to put up $20,000 for one year, and revisit it each year after that.
Councillor Verhaeghe wanted to know if the AEC is making a difference to the area.
“It’s making a difference to me because I am actually using the energy corridor,” Gayowski said. “Again, it’s like anything else; if you don’t put any time or effort into it you’re not going to get anything out of it.”
